Stranger Things Have Happened
by StephS14
Summary: Hayli-Rose Lawsen is a "normal" girl who gets accepted into Hogwarts School. Hayli learns about Magic and meets a young girl named Abigail who teaches Hayli all about the world of magic. But Hayli soon finds out just some of the scariness magic can bring.
1. Chapter 1: The Letter and Abigail

**Authors Note: Hey Guys! This is my 3****rd**** Fanfiction. It's not that great this chapter but trust me the rest will be better Enjoy and please Review!**

**Disclaimer: I do NOT Own Harry Potter. Just my OC's! **

It was actually the day of my 11th birthday that I got the letter, the 22nd June 1995. It was written in sparkling Emerald ink and it was neat and curly. I was in shock. Not nearly as much shock as my parents though. They had never even heard of wizards and witches and magic or Hogwarts... I hadn't either but still. And so now I stand in the gigantic hall of Gringotts Wizard Bank. The marble building was larger than my house times 2! The little creatures wandering about their business had hooked noses and stubby little fingers on their hands. We were switching our money for coins apparently called Galleons, Sickles and Knuts. The Galleons were fat and gold, the Sickles were silver and the tiny little Knuts were bronze. The goblin who serving us, Gaulbeln, was instructing me how to use the coins. It was just like our money except of the size and there were no notes and the colours were different. The letter I got told us to get my school things from a place called Diagon Alley, wherever that is. It also had a very descriptive note on how to get there. We managed not to get lost and we went straight to Gringotts first.

We visited all kinds of weird stores including the apothecary which was full of strange, gluggy, slimy...things. We visited Madam Malkins Robe Shop, Ollivanders Wands, and a store that specialised in a weird game called Quidditch that was played on broomsticks. My list said I needed an Owl, Cat or toad. No way was I going to ask for a toad... gross. I wanted an Owl.

"Mum, I... can I have an Owl?" I begged Mum.

"Well, Hayls, I dunno I was hoping you'd get a Cat. Owls are messy," Mum said, with a bit of disappointment on her face.

"But Mum, cats are just as messy. And the Owl will only be home every Holidays and it'll be hunting most nights. Come on mum please!" I pleaded. Half an hour later we were walking out of Eyelops Owl Emporium with gorgeous white snowy Owl. Mum was looking at it disapprovingly. I named her Aria, it seemed pretty. The last shop we went to was Flourish and Blotts. That's where we got all my school books. There were shelves and shelves of books that reached right up to the roof. We purchased the books on my list and decided it was time to go. I couldn't wait to get home and start reading all about Magic. I still couldn't believe it. _Magic was real! I was a witch! _It was incredible. I couldn't wait to get to Hogwarts in September. The only problem is explaining to my school and friends where I'll be for the year and that I'll only be back for 3 months.

It was September 1 and Mum and Dad were driving me to the Train Station. Apparently, because I am a muggle-born (Muggles are people with NO magic in them at all) the letter explained how to get onto Platform 9 and ¾. Yeah the letter had to be at least 5 pages! Mum and Dad got me a luggage trolley and we unloaded my trunk and Aria in her cage and they began escorting me where we had to go. Mum and Dad couldn't get onto the platform so we said our goodbyes just outside it.

"Have a good year Hayli-Rose! You make sure to write to us! We'll miss you gorgeous," Mum said, tears welling up in her brilliant blue eyes. I didn't look anything like my parents. I had dirty blonde hair and sparkling blue, green tinged eyes. My skin was a light olive tan and my hair was silky and smooth. Whereas mum had brown hair and dad had like brown with the slightest hint of blonde and brown eyes. Mum hugged me tightly and I turned to Dad.

"Darling, have fun, okay? Be good and make some friends. I Love you," Dad said kissing my forehead.

"I love you too. Bye guys!" I said with a last hug. I turned my trolley toward the barrier. Apparently I had to run at the barrier and I would just slide through it. I took a deep breath and ran toward the barrier, waiting for the crash. It didn't come. I turned to look behind me. Mum was waving, tears streaking her face and Dad waving too with a big, proud grin lighting up his face. I turned back just in time to see the wall of the barrier right in my face. I blinked and the wall was gone. A huge scarlet steam train came into view. The platform was packed with students clambering onto the train. I looked right and saw a huge sign hanging up.

_Platform 9 and ¾ Hogwarts Express. 10:50am Train to depart: 11:00am._

I headed toward the train looking for an empty compartment. I found one around the middle and began trying to heave my trunk up into the compartment. I eventually got it up after dropping it on my toe. I stowed Aria's cage in the rack over head and shut the door. I sat down on the comfy train seats and waited for the train to depart.

Finally it reached 11:00am and the train slowly started to move. Most students were hanging out the windows saying last minute good-byes and hugs tot heir parents. I watched the parents all shouting after their kids until the train went round the bend. I began staring at the scenery we went past: luscious green fields and blue skies. After about 10 minutes the compartment door slid open and a girl the same age as me stood there and looked at me.

"Hi, I'm Abigail Morrson. Do-do you mind if I sit here. Everywhere else is packed!" the girl said. She had brown hair and dark brown eyes. Her skin was a darker olive than mine and she was about the same height as me. I slowly nodded. Abigail stowed her luggage and sat down opposite me. She looked at me.

"I-I'm Hayli-Rose Lawsen," I said to break the silence. Awkward.

"What house do you reckon you'll be in?" Abigail asked, ignoring me.

"Um-what?" I answered, confused. Her family must all be from the magical world.

"Ah, you're a muggle-born, I see. When you get to Hogwarts you get sorted into one of four houses: Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Slytherin. My whole family has been in Ravenclaw for years. Slytherin is for the bad people. Almost every Slytherin has turned out bad. You don't want that house," She explained. I nodded again. Abigail continued explaining to me about Hogwarts. It seemed like a great place. Around Lunch, a plump little woman walked past with a cart full of different sorts of lollies I'd never even heard of. I bought a pack of Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans and a few boxes of Chocolate Frogs, also a couple of cauldron cakes and liquorice wands. The beans were fascinating. They came in flavours I had never even heard of! A small yellow was lemon, a brown one was pepper, and a purple one was...eurgh carpet! It was pretty fun. I moved onto the chocolate frogs. They came with cards which contained information on a famous witch or wizard which you could trade with others.

"These are cool. Look this one is Dumbledore! Oh and Bathilda Bagshot! And this one is Ralf Scamander! Wow!" Abigail said, opening packet after packet.

"Isn't Dumbledore the Headmaster of Hogwarts?" I asked biting the head of a chocolate frog.

"Yep," Abigail answered. I turned over the card I got a stared at an old man with a beard.

"Merlin," I said showing Abigail.

"Oh cool! I don't have him! I've got like 300 of these cards. They are so fun to trade!" Abigail explained. I grinned. This year was going to be so good, what with all this magic and card-trading and bean-tasting. I couldn't wait to get to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

**Authors Note: There you are. I hope you liked it. PLEASE Review! Thanks XxXx**


	2. Chapter 2: Hogwarts

**Authors Note: Chapter 2! Sorry it took so long... but it's a fairly good chapter I reckon I hope you enjoy it and PLEASE REVIEW! :D Thanks Guys Xx**

**Disclaimer: I do NOT Own Harry Potter. Just My OC's **

The sky wad slowly darkening. It was probably about 5:00pm. The colours in the sky were a darkening and the light pink and musky colours of the evening were slowly dissapearing and the lanterns began to turn on in the compartments. Abigail was just explaining to me about classes when the train began to slow down. We quickly changed into our robes and waited for the train to completely stop. At last we arrived and we began to get off the train; it was hard with so many people around. We were told we had to leave our stuff on the train because it would be brought up, so I followed Abigail onto the platform. Up near the front of the train, an old woman was calling out across the crowd.

"First Years! First Years this way please!". Abigail grabbed me by the hand and pulled me off towards her. We lined up behind two girls who both had flowing brunette hair and their arms were linked by their sides; twins, of course. I stared around at all the older students. Some of them looked quite scary, by the looks on their faces. I started to day-dream while we waited for the rest of the first years. This had to be a dream! No way, I still could _not _believe I was really a witch attending a MAGIC school! I suddenly felt pressure on my shoulder and realised Abigail was poking me hard. I turned to look at her.

"Stop poking me!" I said angrily, shoving her hand away. She ignored me.

"Look! It's Harry Potter! He's the one who saw You-Know-Who return last year!" Abigail exclaimed, pointing to a 5th year boy standing near some carriages. He had jet-black hair, green eyes and round glasses. As he turned around a little bit, I noticed he had a lightening shaped scar over his right eye.

"Who?" I asked curiously.

"Oh, of course you wouldn't know! 14 years ago a dark wizard we MUSN'T speak the name of, turned up at Harry Potter's house and murdered his parents. Then he turned to Harry but when he cast the Killing Curse, for some reason it rebounded and left Harry only with a scar and You-Know-Who disappeared! Harry is the Boy Who Lived!" Abigail explained. I gasped. Abigail explained everything else that had happened since Harry Potter arrived at school. (AN: I won't bother writing it all, since you all know! ).

"So Cedric Diggory died? Oh that's so sad! And now Voldemort... sorry, You-Know-Who has returned?" I asked.

"Yeah, but not many believe him, only Dumbledore and the odd few people. I believe it, but the Daily Prophet doesn't. They say Harry is nuts and so is Dumbledore. They're nuts is what I say," Abigail finished. By now, we were crossing a large, dark lake in small wooden boats.

"Mind your heads back there!" the woman called. Yeah we never found out her name. We ducked as we drifted underneath some low branches.

"You'll get your first look of Hogwarts in a minute! It's just around this corner!" She called again. I started to feel excited. We slowly went around the corner and everyone, including me, gasped in amazement. Right in front of us was a gigantic castle lit up inside from lights, making it shimmer in the darkness. It was incredible.

"Welcome to Hogwarts!" the woman said, smiling as we all chatted with excitement.

We were standing outside the castle in front of two giant mahogany coloured doors. The woman knocked three times on the doors and they opened instantly. Another woman was standing there looking over all the first years.

"Good Evening Professor McGonagall. The First Years," the woman said.

"Thank you Professor Grubbly-Plank. Everyone follow me!" the woman called Professor McGonagall said to us. We walked inside the castle and everyone gasped again. Remember how I said Gringotts was like 2 times the size of my house? I think Hogwarts is about 4 times! Or close to it! The entrance hall we were standing in is about the same size as my house and then there was the rest of it! I'll be lucky if I don't get lost in here! Professor McGonagall waited for quiet then spoke.

"Welcome to Hogwarts. Now, in a few minutes you shall pass through these doors behind me and join your classmates, but before you can you must be sorted into your houses. Remember they are Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Slytherin. While you are here, your house will be like your family. If you do well like answering a question with the appropriate answer, you will be rewarded with house points. If you should break a rule throughout the year, points will be deducted. At the end of the year, if your house should have the most points, you are awarded the House Cup. Right, you may follow me into the Great Hall now," She explained. I looked, smiling, at Abigail then followed McGonagall into yet another massive hall. The older students were already seated along 4 tables, according to which house they were in. I looked up and at first thought there was no roof. Abigail nudged me in the ribs.

"There is a ceiling you know. It's only bewitched to look like the sky outside," She informed me. I smiled again. We walked all the way up the aisle until we got to the front. In front of us was a small foot stool with an old torn hat sitting on it. Behind that was another table, where all the teachers sat. Right in the middle was Albus Dumbledore. He looked quite old and was surveying everyone through a pair of half moon spectacles. The chatter in the hall died out as McGonagall opened a roll of parchment.

"When I call your name, please come forth, place the Sorting Hat upon your head and wait to be sorted! Ashburn, Emily!" Professor McGonagall called. One of the twins from earlier walked quickly forward, a look of terror on her face. She placed the hat on her head and it fell right down to her shoulders. Everyone waited. The opened a mouth at the brim...

"Hufflepuff!" it shouted. Emily pulled the hat off and went to join the Hufflepuff's, smiling. He sister, Karol, was next and she was sorted into Gryffindor.

"Doesn't family go together?" I asked Abigail.

"Not necessarily. It doesn't always happen. It did in my family..." Abigail broke off as McGonagall called the next person forward. The names continued on and on, right through the J's, K's, L's...

"Lawsen, Hayli-Rose!" Professor McGonagall called. I jumped slightly as she said my name. Shaking with nerves, I walked forward. I put the hat on my head, sat on the stool and closed my eyes. I waited... and waited... I must have been sitting her for like an hour, I thought.

"Ravenclaw!" The hat suddenly shouted. In nearly fell of the chair. Um, embarrassing. I pulled off the hat and nearly ran over to the Ravenclaw table. I sat and looked down to avoid seeing all the eyes staring at me. I smiled to myself. Eventually it got to Abigail and she joined Ravenclaw too, just like the rest of her family. The sorting ended with Zain, Harriet becoming a Slytherin with her twin brother Haydan. Finally, we were allowed to eat. But there was no food on the table.

"Hey, how are we supposed to eat if..." I started.

"Wait for it!" Abigail said, smiling mischievously. Suddenly the whole table filled with piles and piles of food to fill you to bursting! I gasped for like the tenth time that night and grabbed everything within reach, including my favourite: Chicken! After I thought I was literally going to burst, the food cleared and was replaced with yet more food! Dessert. I didn't eat much dessert no matter how badly I wanted to finish my chocolate mousse. I just couldn't fit it in. At long last the table cleared and wasn't replaced with more food, thank goodness! Dumbledore stood up though and everyone fell silent again.

"Well now we are all well fed I would like to introduce our new Defence against the Dark Arts Teacher, Professor Dolores Umbridge. I hope you will help me in wishing Professor good luck! Now Quidditch Tryouts will be held..." Dumbledore stopped.

"Hem, hem," Dolores Umbridge interrupted Dumbledore. He allowed her to continue. She went on and made a huge speech about 'progress for the sake of progress must be discouraged' and something about the Ministry of Magic... blah, blah, blah! No one was really paying attention. She finally sat back down and no one really clapped except Dumbledore. All the notices were finally given out and we were allowed to go to bed. We stood up as a 6th year called out "Ravenclaw first years follow me please!". I began to follow him with Abigail when a girl in front of us stopped, and turned to face us. She had really pale skin and the blondest hair possible.

"Welcome to Ravenclaw. I'm Luna Lovegood. I'll see you round!" She finished and skipped off after her classmates.

"Well, she was weird," Abigail said raising her eyebrows at me. We reached the Ravenclaw Common Room and the 6th year told us which Dormitory was ours. We walked up the stone steps and entered the Dormitory. All of our stuff had already been brought up and I found Aria still locked in her cage. I opened it up and she flew straight out the window and up to the Owlery Abigail told me about.

"Well, hello to you too," I said sarcastically, before getting changed and hopping into bed. The other 4 girls around me all clambered into bed. I was sharing with Abigail, Laura Parkson, Sarah Farley and Natasha Ellsworth. They seemed like nice girls. I said goodnight to Abigail and closed the curtains on my four-poster bed. I lay back in bed but my eyes were wide open. Just having that feast made me realise how exciting and adventurous my life had become. I couldn't wait for the rest of the year. It was going to be so good!

**Authors Note: So there it is Review pretty please! Thanks! Chapter 3 Status: Coming Soon :D Xx**


End file.
